High speed card punch



HIGH SPEED CARD PUNCH Filed Dec. 26. 1958 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,037,690 HIGH SPEED CARD PUNCH Andre Marcel Tailleur, Paris, France, assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York,

N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 26, 1958, Ser. No. 783,052 Claims priority, application France Feb. 10, 1958 Claims. (Cl. 234-128) This invention relates toy a high speed card punch for use in making cards for business machines such `as sorters and collators, and, in particular, to a high speed punch for use in making business machine cards whe-rein the car-d is intermittently driven, whereas, the driving means is continuously rotating at a constant velocity.

IMost punches in use today provide a stationary punch and die with intermittently rotating feed rolls for intermittently feeding the card through the punch station. As the card progresses through the punch station, it is intermittently driven so that the cards can be punched during the dwell or stopped position. The intermittent motion is either provided by a Geneva cam or other mechanism or variable speed motors, commonly called stepping motors, to accelerate and decelerate the feed rolls so that the card is intermittently driven through the punch station. In such a device the punching occurs at the punch station when the card is at zero velocity.

Now, in driving the feed rolls with intermittently moving mechanical parts, large acceleration forces and mechanical stresses are produced by the vibrations, which place a limit on .the speed of feeding cards. For eX- am-ple, the greater the number of cards punched per unit of time, the greater will be the acceleration forces on the mechanical components for transporting the card through the machine. Although the punch and die for perforating the cards also place some limitation on the speed of handling cards at the punch station, this invention is particularly concerned with the method of card transport. y

Other attempts have been made to minimize acceleration forces on the mechanism. These have been with respect to on-the-fly types of punches. In these arrangements, both the punch and card are moving. In these types, the punch is driven by a constantly rotating drive with camming mechanism for moving the punch at the same velocity as the card at some interval of time. During this interval, punching can be accomplished. These arrangements are generally not too practical since the mechanism is very cumbersome; the perforation may not be sufficiently clean for best operation, :and the timing of the punch with respect to the card. requires synchronization To `obviate the above disadvantages, it is an object of this invention to provide a card feed device for passing a card through a punch station where the cards are advanced intermittently although the mechanical feed rolls rotate ata uniform velocity.

It is another object of lthis invention to provide a punch and die arrangement in combination with a card feeding device, which includes a means for synchronizing the advancement of the punch toward the card with the advance of the card past the punch station, so that the card portion under the punch station has a zero velocity relative to the punchV station at the moment when the punch perforates the card.

'It is another object of this invention to provide a card feeding device wherein one or more portions of the card may be at zero velocity, Whereas the other portion of the card is continually moving, this being accomplished by changing the path of the card.

It is another object of this invention to provide a simpler and more reliable card punching device which can be operated at high speeds ythan those in present use today or those which have attempted to obtain similar results.

Other objects of the invention Will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses, by way of exam-ple, the principle ofthe invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawing, a cross-sectional View is shown of the principle of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, cards are shown at 10 which are adapted to be fed by a plurality of pairs of feed rolls 12. The cards here are intended to be those which are generally used in business machines and could also include tape as well as sheets. The feed rolls 412 drive the card past a punch station generally designated as 14. The punch station includes a number of punches which can be mounted in parallel, only one of which is shown for purposes of this invention. The punch station comprises a punch 16 slidably mounted in a punch guide block 1S and a punching die 20 provided with an opening 22 to receive the punch 16.

In order to selectively drive the punch 16, I have schematically shown an arrangement which is synchronized with the feed rolls 12 so as to punch at the proper instant when the card is at the proper location. To do this I provide a driving member or link 24 adapted to engage the end of the punch 16. The drive link 24 is pivotally mount-V Normally, the drive link 24 oscillates about pivot 26` without driving the punch 16 into the die 20. In order for the punch to be driven, an interposer 27 is connected -to an armature 29 which is adapted to be energized at the appropriate time by a magnet 31. This time for perfor` ation is synchronized with the rest of the machine so that the punch perforates the ca-rd while it is motionless. Sensing brushes (not shown) or the like are generally used to sense a signal in a master card, which signal represents information to be punched into the card. The signal operates the magnet 31 in synchronization with the rest of the machine when it is time to punch. vIn iorder to drive the cam 30 in synchronization with the feed rolls 12, the cam is mounted on a pulley or thelike 34 and connected to the shaft 36 on which 4the feed rolls 13 are mounted, through a chain link or drive belt 38.

The cards l0, which as noted previously could also be a continuous tape or sheet, are fed through the punch station 14, by the feed rolls 12 and carried away by the feed rolls 13. The path for the card is defined by xed guides 40 and 42 for entrance into the punch station and fixed guides 44 for the exit out of the punch station.

A continuously changing feed path for the cards is controlled by suitably shaped cams 46, 48, 50 and 52. These cams rotate synchronously with feed rolls l2 and 13 in timed relation with the entire punching mechanism so that when the card changes its path from one position to another, it can be punched at the punching station when the card comes to rest. For example, the synchronization can be accomplished by providing an idler gear 55 for driving the cam 52. Such a gearing arrangement can be duplicated with the other cams.

When the card is in the position shown at 54, the card path length is lessrthan the card path shown in the position at 56, whereas the length of the card path is greater at the fixed guide 44 as shown at 55 than when the card is in the position shown by the dotted line at 57.

While the length of the card path from the feed rolls 12 to the punch station is increasing when changing from position 54 to 56, the length of the card path is decreasing when changing from the card path at 55 to that at 57. Therefore, a worm-like motion is provided to the card since the card is stationary at the punch station when the amount of card being fed by the feed rolls 12 is conforming from the position 54 to that at 56, and the amount of card being fed away from the punch station by the rolls 13 is conforming from the position at 55 to that at 57.

If the card does not readily assume the position at 56 from that at 54, when the leading edge of the card first leaves the feed rolls 12, a complementary cam 58 may be used for this purpose. Also, if the card has a tendency to move while at the punch station during the interval that the card is changing card paths, a brake means could be used for intermittently holding the card at the punch station.

It is also noted that the card path will not begin to change until the point 60 on the cams begins to move away from the card and the point 62 begins to push on the card when it is in position 56 and 57. In the embodiment shown, this leaves about 60 of a 360 revolution for the card to change card paths. This also is the period when the card is stationary at the punch station ready for punching. This occurs twice during one revolution of the cams and feed rolls. However, if more cam surfaces were used, the card would be stationary more times per revolution.

Operation As card passes through the feed rolls 12 and feed rolls 13, the card changes its curvature during each quarter of a revolution. Therefore, the card conforms to the guide path at 54, 55 and then conforms to the guide path 56, 57 in two quarters of a revolution. Movement of the trailing portion of the card by the feed rolls 12 is transmitted to the leading portion of the card in proportion to the amount that the card is prevented from changing its curve, as defined by cams 46, 48, 50 and 52. While a column on the card is passing the punching station 14, cams 46, 48, 50 and 52 make one-half revolution. This results in the card changing from the position at 54, 55 to that at 56, 57 and then back to position 54, 55. When the card changes its position from that at 54, 5S to that at 56, 57, the portion of the card at the punch station 14 remains at zero velocity. The punching of information into the card may be accomplished during this stationary period at the punch station by actuating the punch element 16. The punch element can be retracted out of the punch die by a spring or suitable mechanism (not shown). The ability to maintain motionless that portion of the card at the punch station when the feed rolls 12 are feeding the card is made possible by the lengthening of the card path from that at 54 to that at 56, while during the same period of time the action of feed rolls 13 is delivering the card is made possible without disturbing the stationary portion by the shortening of the card path from that at 55 to that at 57.

Now, when the card changes its position from that at 56, 57 to that at position 54, 56, the portion of the card at the punch station 14 is accelerated by the cams 50, 52 so as to compensate for the delay in card motion relative to the portion of the card under the continuously rotating feed rolls 12 and 13.

The variation in the curvature of the guide paths do not cause any crumpling of the cards as they change from the position at 56, 57 to the position at 54, 55 under the action of the cams 46, 48, 50 and 52.

To insure greater control over the card during the time when the guide path is varying between its position 54, 55 and position 56, 57, the cards may be constantly under the control of cams 46, 48, 50 and 52 and complementary cam 58 which bears on the opposite face of the card. This cam can be of the same shape as cams 46 and 48 and be operated in timed relation with them. Also, if it is desired to control the leading edge i of the card as it passes the punch station so that the intermediate portions assume the different desired positions, other guide means or braking means can be used at the punch station.

In order to simultaneously punch more than one column in series or parallel, a plurality of card punching and feeding devices may be disposed adjacently on a single machine for this purpose.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a form marking apparatus, the combination of a marking member at la marking station and movable into contact with a form to mark the form, guide means including oppositely arranged fixed portions and movable por-tions through which the form moves to the station, means near the entry end of lthe guide means for advancing a form at a constant lineal speed toward the station, and mans operative independently of the form for withdrawing the movable portions away from ythe xed portions, said advancing means being effective as the movable portions withdraw to cause the form to follow a lengthened path to the station, such withdrawal being suicient to cause the velocity of the particular part of the form at said station to be reduced substantially to zero While the advancing means is moving a rearward part of the form at said constant speed, the movement of the withdrawing means being coordinated with that of the marking member to cause the part of the form which is to be marked to be substantially at zero velocity just before and during the time it is contacted by the marking member.

2. The combination according to claim l, wherein said movable portions of the guide means are defined by constantly rotating cams having effective portions which are rotated toward and away from the fixed portions.

3. The combination according to claim 1, including means operating in synchronism with the means for withdrawing the movable portions to positively move the form away from the Xed portions and toward the movable portions -as the latter are moved away from the fixed portions.

4. In a form marking apparatus, the combination of a marking member at a marking station and movable into contact with a form to mark the form, guide means including oppositely arranged xed portions and `movable portions through which the form moves to and from the station, means near the respective ends of the guide means for advancing a form at a certain constant lineal speed toward the station and `at the same speed away from the station, and means operative independently of the form for withdrawing the movable portions away from the xed portions to concurrently lengthen the path traversed by the Aform in approaching the station and shorten the path it traverses beyond the station by amounts sufficient to cause the velocity of the particular part of the form at said station to be reduced to zero while at least one other part of the form is moving at said constant speed, the movement of the withdrawing means being coordinated with that of the marking member to cause the part of the form to be marked to be substantially at zero velocity just before and during the time it is contacted by the marking member.

5. Form marking apparatus comprising a marking station; guide means including generally S-shaped convex and concave stationary guide surfaces at opposite sides of the station, and constantly rotating cams having portions movable toward `and away from said surfaces to vary the lengths of the lfeed paths followed by the form; just before and during the time it is contacted by the means near respective ends of the guide means for `advanemarking member.

ing a form at a constant lineal speed .toward and away from the station; and a marking member at the station References Cited m the me of this patent for marking the form; the rotation of the cams and move- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS ment of the marking member being synchronized to cause 1,549,266 Kendig Aug. 11, 1925 lthe part 0f lthe form to be marked -to be Iat zero velocity 2,021,310 Jaeger Nov. 19, 1935 

